February 2019 Self-care Challenge
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@MadisonMolly2017 Thank you! That was a very helpful post. It made me really think about these things.
Am I under stress? Well, this goes kind of hand in hand with "Do I like my job"? 2 years ago I would have told you that I have a wonderful job. Kind of a dream job. I am an analytical chemist and quality manager for a large packaging company. We do product testing in support of product stewardship for all of the global mill facilities in our company. Two years ago, the company that I worked for merged with another company that had an entirely different business philosophy. The result was that we doubled the number of facilities that we support and also got hit at the same time with a 25% reduction in staff (from 8 to 6 people). The corporate product stewardship philosophy went from being very proactive to almost completely reactive to problems as they arise. So yes, it has really changed the way things are done around here and the work environment is a lot more stressful and the work less enjoyable. Typically I would take these new challenges head on, but I just can't make myself do it.
I eat well and exercise and I do get pretty good sleep most nights. Sometimes I feel that I drink too much alcohol, but I have been making a conscious effort at reducing this as part of my self care and have done pretty well over the past few months. I thought it would make a huge difference, but it really hasn't. I have Crohn's disease and get my medication by infusion every six weeks, at which time they do a complete blood panel. They typically only contact me with the results if something is out of whack. The last time I saw my numbers, my kidney functions were solid, but I was on the lower end of the spectrum for iron. In the past I have noticed these issues cropping up during January and February and I have always attributed it to mild SAD, but it has never been quite this bad.
I really appreciate your taking the time to respond to my post. I like your suggestion of tacking only the top three most important tasks and I am off to get started on that!4 -
@lporter229
Oh, you are most welcome! I’m truly glad it was helpful.
(BTW- have Crohn’s too.)
I have to say your response helped me, too! I was feeling slightly under the weather & was thinking of blowing off exercise for first time in over a year & blowing off my calorie goal...BOTH very unlike me. I saw your response, smiled, and thought “I love helping people!” And immediately went down to our ex bike. Thought I’d just do 20 mins. Long story short, an hour later, I’d hit my daily exercise goal, and ate a simple & nourishing reasonable dinner. So Thank You!!
I hope thing improve at work or you decide to move on. When we care so much, the changes you describe impact us deeply. You deserve to be happy.
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Good morning @lporter229 Wishing a better week! I once read when the threshold of pain gets too high (or stress level) you will make a change. Perhaps, another job opportunity is going to open. I hope it gets better. Alcohol doesnt help much; it causes anxiety and depression. I think you did a 30 day break if I remember correctly. Anyway, I dont have more to add because @MadisonMolly2017 had some excellent suggestions for us all. Xo1
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Self care: I’m fighting a cold. Took echinacea and teaspoon of honey. Anyone else have cold remedies for cutting a cold short?0
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RubyRed427 wrote: »Self care: I’m fighting a cold. Took echinacea and teaspoon of honey. Anyone else have cold remedies for cutting a cold short?
@RubyRed427
For me, staying overly warm definitely helps: shirt/sweater&jacket under a few blankets with hot tea. Sometimes a heating pad. All the rest you know: tons of continual fluids & rest. Oh! And funny comedies❣️
I hope you knock off the bug before it takes hold! I used to use Airborne. Don’t know if it’s still around.. And my doc said suck on hard candies. Obese at the time I questioned him. Yep, he said, keep back of throat moist; bugs don’t take hold. Rarely do it, but there you go!2 -
Made it to the 2-week mark, post-surgery. I can drive again and go on longer, daily walks now. So happy to get up off the couch!
Gratitude to the rescue! I have so much to be thankful for, and to look forward to, and that's what I need to focus on. 
Since I still can't do most of my favorite self-care routines (like running and yoga) for a couple more months, I'll just have to focus on making sure that I do these daily walks so the increasingly obvious decline in my fitness doesn't get too depressing over time. I've still got a ways to go in my recovery.
But I've got this! Really, I do. I got through the first two weeks, and I can get through the next two!
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MadisonMolly2017 wrote: »RubyRed427 wrote: »Self care: I’m fighting a cold. Took echinacea and teaspoon of honey. Anyone else have cold remedies for cutting a cold short?
@RubyRed427
For me, staying overly warm definitely helps: shirt/sweater&jacket under a few blankets with hot tea. Sometimes a heating pad. All the rest you know: tons of continual fluids & rest. Oh! And funny comedies❣️
I hope you knock off the bug before it takes hold! I used to use Airborne. Don’t know if it’s still around.. And my doc said suck on hard candies. Obese at the time I questioned him. Yep, he said, keep back of throat moist; bugs don’t take hold. Rarely do it, but there you go!
THank you so much for the tips. I forgot about airborne and do have some in my cupboard. It was invented by a teacher.
I took echinacea and nasal saline spray, vitamin C, and gargled with salt water. Seems to have helped a little. It’s now a mild cold. I like the hard candy idea (Ludens cough drops taste good). I appreciate your tips!! Xoxo0 -
Self care: Acrylic painting class last night. Painted pots with geraniums in them. Makes me crave spring!
This weekend will be total self care: Going to a scrapbook workshops with my friends and sister. We laugh and chat and solve our problems.... oh yeah, we also scrapbook.
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I've just realised that the posts I've been making on my phone aren't working
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In the UK Today is Time to Talk Day 2019.
Mental health problems affect one in four of us, yet people are still afraid to talk about it. Time to Talk Day encourages everyone to talk about mental health.
This year’s Time to Talk Day is all about bringing together the right ingredients, to have a conversation about mental health. Whether that’s tea, biscuits and close friends or a room full of people challenging mental health stigma, we want you to get talking.
However you do it, make sure you have a conversation about mental health this Time to Talk Day.
We had a webinar in work, to discuss things like:
When do we notice a decline in our mental health
What Strategies we put in place to help our mental health
How do we help colleagues when we notice them acting differently
I think it's brilliant that these conversations are now happening, but we still have a long way to go.
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RubyRed427 wrote: »Good morning @lporter229 Wishing a better week! I once read when the threshold of pain gets too high (or stress level) you will make a change. Perhaps, another job opportunity is going to open. I hope it gets better. Alcohol doesnt help much; it causes anxiety and depression. I think you did a 30 day break if I remember correctly. Anyway, I dont have more to add because @MadisonMolly2017 had some excellent suggestions for us all. Xo
Thank you! I do feel ready to make a change with regards to my career. The change I want to make is a big one and I have to get my husband on board. But maybe I will have to make a smaller change before then. I will have to keep my eyes open. And yes, I did do an AF month last year. It definitely opened my eyes to a lot of things and has helped me to keep things in better control these days. I am not sure that I have reached that point where I am ready to cut it completely from my life. I know that sounds stupid, but it would require some major changes. However, I do feel like I am heading in that direction.
BTW, yesterday I had the day off work because I had a dentist appointment in the AM and my infusion in the afternoon. I knocked out a whole days worth of work that I had been dreading while I was getting my infusion. I just plowed right through it. In fact, I even asked the nurse if it was okay if I stayed there for another 20 minutes after my infusion was done so that I could finish it up. I told her that I was going to tell my boss that I was going to start working one day a week from my doctor's office for added productivity.3 -
Self-care for the last few days:
- Logged every day.
- Walked 3 out of 4 days.
- Dental cleaning!
- Cooked an acorn squash. (This probably sounds pathetic, but I rarely cook. It's just me and I'm usually so tired at the end of the day that I rely on prepared food/frozen food/takeout or just snacking. I've never cooked an acorn squash before.)
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Self-care:
I didn't beat myself up over a danish. I didn't attempt to purge it in any way, so impact on my bulimia.
I enjoyed my baths.
I got proper rest.
I went to my pulmonary rehabilitation and tried my best.
I watched an episode of my favorite TV show with a friend.3 -
MaelynMayhem wrote: »Self-care:
I didn't beat myself up over a danish. I didn't attempt to purge it in any way, so impact on my bulimia.
I enjoyed my baths.
I got proper rest.
I went to my pulmonary rehabilitation and tried my best.
I watched an episode of my favorite TV show with a friend.
Now I want Danish!
I notice our cats look very similar. Is yours all black? (Mine's a tortie.) 💞 🐈 💞1 -
MaelynMayhem wrote: »Self-care:
I didn't beat myself up over a danish. I didn't attempt to purge it in any way, so impact on my bulimia.
I enjoyed my baths.
I got proper rest.
I went to my pulmonary rehabilitation and tried my best.
I watched an episode of my favorite TV show with a friend.
Now I want Danish!
I notice our cats look very similar. Is yours all black? (Mine's a tortie.) 💞 🐈 💞
All except for a small patch on his chest.
He's my precious. 2 -
For this month ill stop just thinking about goals and workout and eat healthier for a better lifestyle. While I'll keep my goals but look at the bigger picture.5
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I have been trying out this alcohol free thing for the time being and along with that have noticed more time taken to care for myself.
Self Care- Running/working out more
- Using a meditation app
- Taking time to paint my nails and follow a skin care routine
- Not drinking
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This month for self-care I'm following Yoga With Adriene Calendar Care
It's a lovely mix of 7 - 40min flows that are nice an d nourishing for the body & mind.
I'm still doing my Headspace daily... Some days are easier than others.
I'm also trying to walk a minimum of 7,000 steps a day all month too.
This weekend I'm travelling to the coast to visit my friend for a lovely walk (well it may be a damp walk, if all this rain keeps up )
Oh I nearly forgot each day I'm writing down one thing I'm grateful for that day.4 -
This month for self-care I'm following Yoga With Adriene Calendar Care
It's a lovely mix of 7 - 40min flows that are nice an d nourishing for the body & mind.
I'm still doing my Headspace daily... Some days are easier than others.
I'm also trying to walk a minimum of 7,000 steps a day all month too.
This weekend I'm travelling to the coast to visit my friend for a lovely walk (well it may be a damp walk, if all this rain keeps up )
Oh I nearly forgot each day I'm writing down one thing I'm grateful for that day.
I love everything you are doing!!0 -
Self care weekend begins:
First a visit to my therapist for a mental tune up
Then, shopping and lunch
Finally check into a hotel with friends and sister and scrapbook all weekend
Lots of laugther and fun4
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